Digital Media and Olympic Coverage

Conference to explore impact of Digital Media on Olympic Coverage

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 19, 2010 - Vancouver, BC - As a hub for social media in the 2010 Games, the W2 Culture + Media House is hosting the Fresh Media Olympics Conference on February 22. The Conference will explore the impact of the explosion of social media tools in the hands of Olympic fans, citizen journalists and bloggers on coverage of the 2010 Games.

The Winter Olympics and Paralympics are expected to draw 3 billion worldwide television and more than 70 million website viewers, while generating more wireless content than any previous Olympics. As Beijing failed to uphold pledges for an open media environment, Vancouver constitutes the first "social media Games." Thousands of media makers and storytellers unaccredited by VANOC and the BC government's media centre have been broadcasting their own Olympic messages to the world about cultural festivities and controversial local issues, such as Vancouver's homelessness issues.

Meanwhile, social media has significantly impacted the Olympic revenues of traditional media outlets. The value of television ads from Olympic corporate sponsors is decreasing with increase audience fragmentation due to new technologies. Canwest is under creditor protection, while NBC expects to lose more than $200 million on its coverage of the 2010 Games.

The Fresh Media Olympics Conference will feature experts from traditional and social media, bloggers and academia, who will explore how news media is impacting the IOC's ability to control it's message and hand exclusivity to its investor brands. Panelists will also consider the implications of new media for Olympic coverage in London 2012 and beyond.

Tickets can be purchased at http://freshmediaolympics.eventbrite.com/.

The conference features a keynote from Andy Miah, author of ‘Genetically Modified Athletes’ (2004) and ‘A Digital Olympics: Digital Games, Ethics & Cultures’ (The MIT Press, 2010), as well as panels with senior journalists and industry watchers from the USA, UK, Canada, and elsewhere. Panelists include Angela Piccini, Ana Adi, Kris Krug& others.

An afternoon unconference program provides open space for participant led-workshops with an added emphasis on practice and a summary of the first Olympic week. The conference also brings people face-to-face for networking and sharing tips on theory, practice, legal and operations. W2 will webstream to reach viewers outside Vancouver. The day wraps with a Cinq à Sept reception and evening party with Vancouver artists and DJs.

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This event is hosted by W2 with the help of OpenMedia.ca's Fresh Media Crew. For more information visit http://freshmedia.me. To arrange interviews or images please contact Irwin Oostindie (Executive Director) of W2 Community Media Arts on: 604 689 9896, 1-877-689-9896 or email: [email protected]

Or,
Steve Anderson
National Coordinator
OpenMedia.ca
604-837-5730

Notes to editors:
1.The W2 Culture+Media House operations are in addition to the busy work W2 is doing building a permanent 8800 sf community media arts facility across the street at Woodward's—set to open in the summer of 2010. W2 is the lead community non-profit amenity for the Woodward's heritage building at the corner of Abbott & Hastings, with the W2 Cafe social enterprise opening in a few months. W2 is not supported by core government funds and relies instead on community volunteers and contributions. As the Woodward's heritage building construction will not yet be finished for the Olympics, W2 will instead present the W2 Culture + Media House, as well as programs such as Fearless TV, Real Vancouver Writer's Series, Fearless City Mobile, OMGIMON.TV, exhibitions, and Abandon Normal Devices Festival with our partners in the UK.

2.The W2 Community Media Arts Centre is a highly anticipated project opening in the Winter of 2009-2010 at the landmark Woodward’s redevelopment in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia. In the lead-up to opening, W2 is operating the 13,000 sq ft W2 Culture + Media House across the street at 112 W Hastings. It is intended to provide a vibrant and complementary focal point in the redevelopment of Woodward’s and act as a catalyst in the revitalization of the Vancouver Downtown Eastside by emphasizing the development capacity by and for the DTES residents.

3.Media registration is now live. Visit unaccreditedolympics.eventbrite.com to register for Full Media or Basic Media Access Passes. Through this site you can also purchase guest passes to our daily Cinq à Sept Receptions, purchase a Souvenir T-shirt and button, or sponsor a community member's participation.

4. Daily press briefings at the 100 level of the media centre commence on February 10 - immediately following the opening. Mayor Robertson will return to W2 Culture + Media House for a briefing during Copyright Day on Feb 25, concerning the City's move towards open data.